Games & Strains: Dabble + Mad Hatter

For this edition of Games and Strains we’re pairing Dabble, a fast moving word game, with Mad Hatter, a fast moving cannabis strain.

The Splimm Team has always loved word games. And not just because co-founder Jenn Lauder is undefeated in like 20 years of playing Boggle and rarely defeated at Scrabble. We love word games because they give us a chance to share our affinity for language with our kids and because keeping score lets us know that we are better than them. At least we used to be. They keep growing up and learning new words and technologies and it gets harder and harder to keep up. For the quick-witted world loving families of the world there is Dabble, a “fast thinking word game” for up to four players that encourages creative thinking about language and should keep the whole group engaged even as the little ones age.

The Game

Each player takes 20 tiles from the bag and places them face down. Once the sand timer starts the objective is to make one 2 letter word, one 3 letter word, one 4 letter word, one 5 letter word, and one 6 letter word before time runs out. The process is repeated until one or more players have created six words. The first player to construct 6 words collects the points from the other players unused tiles, and the first to 100 points wins. The small, mostly-easy to follow instructions also offer a few variations to speed up gameplay or make things more interesting once players have mastered the basics.

It’s a great way for kids to work on their vocabulary and spelling when they’re younger, and as they grow up the game presents a fun way to learn about the complexity of language.

Dabble, unlike some of it’s snobbier word game compatriots, encourages the use of “all words labeled as a part of speech, including those with foreign origin, archaic, obsolete, colloquial, and slang,” because Dabble knows that language rules exist primarily to enforce outdated class structures and make people with less money feel bad about themselves. Still no proper nouns though.

But by expanding the dictionary beyond what is traditionally accepted, players get a change to learn a little more about the way different kinds of words people from other places use and see how language is always changing. As an added bonus, parents can pick up on the hot new kid slang and impress their office co-workers.

The game earns extra pot-and-parent bonus points because it’s easy to set and clean up (so long as you don’t go spilling the word tiles all over the place. Our game came with a plain, non-resalable plastic bag that we quickly swapped out for one of velvet ones that use to hold semi-fancy whiskey).

Don’t try this game at home with whisky though; you’ll need stay coherent if you don’t want to get burned buy your kid and their ever-growing access to all the slang.

The Pairing

I mean the games called Dabble, right…? Still, we don’t recommend a heavy dose of concentrated cannabis for anyone other than the most experienced user. A strain that’s going to sharpen the senses and keep you at your word-forming best is an ideal pairing for Dabble and family game night.

Cannabis strain expert and occasional Splimm contributor Ryan Herron of https://www.instagram.com/theloud100/ recently sampled the Mad Hatter from Cascade High, a weed farm outside of Portland, Oregon committed to “socially conscious cannabis cultivation”. Ryan has one of the best palates in the game and his notes on Mad Hatter made us want try this in our next almond-butter-infused smoothie-fueled family-game-night (though we know Ryan prefers the old fashion way of smoking weed!)

The Strain

“Bred by Alpha Kronik, an Oregon breeder who typically focuses on medical strains but has recently released a handful of crosses that highlight flavor and a pronounced effect, comes this gem from the Wonderland line.

This cross, aptly named Mad Hatter, is 707 Headband x Gobbstopper and not for the faint of heart. It’s uplifting and potent. Forget a wake and bake cup of joe, this stuff is like throwing a blistering hot cup of coffee in your face. It’s rare that I find a flower that makes me think, ‘Ok! I’m along for the ride!’ but this one is all gas and no brakes. I always take the time to check myself in that moment with a reminder that this too will pass and to hold on and have fun. Minutes later I’m grinning like a Cheshire cat.

Sharp, tart and a little sweet. The flavor is a bit like strong iced tea with a handful of cane sugar and a few spiced gumdrops thrown in for good measure. Cracking into the buds reveals a sweet and volatile permanent marker scent alongside a hint of sidewalk just-after-the-rain. The subtly sweet and tart profile is just enough to pull you in to further explore the scent. For those searching out the adrenaline rush from the comforts of a couch, I can’t think of a better flower to put in your pipe.”

As the children (and us parents) get older, we know how that adrenaline rush can make all the difference. We need that extra burst of energy if we’re going to keep up with these kids who just seem to always be getting smarter. Having a little Mad Hatter from Cascade High won’t guarantee a Dabble Victory, but it will at the very least provide for an alert defeat.

Jenn Lauder is a media maker, content creator, community builder, and marketing strategist in the cannabis space. Se has a decade of experience as a progressive, anti-bias educator in independent and public schools and spent five years at nonprofits offering services and advocacy for children and families. Jenn is half of the founding team of Weekend Review Kit, a cannabis review and lifestyle site; has written for numerous print and online media outlets; and directs marketing and advocacy efforts for an herbal products company. She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Wesleyan University and attended graduate school at Harvard University and Goddard College. Of Jenn’s many jobs, her favorite is being a mama to her nine-year-old daughter.